The Imperial Academy of Arts counted Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli among its members only months before his death in Saint Petersburg in 1771. Born in Paris in 1700, this Italian architect spent the bulk of his career in the Russian Empire, creating a distinctive, ornate version of Late Baroque design that defined the capital’s appearance under the patronage of female monarchs.
Early Development and Relocation
Rastrelli moved to Saint Petersburg in 1716, arriving four years after the city became the new Russian capital. He traveled alongside his father, Carlo Bartolomeo Rastrelli, a sculptor and architect originally from Florence. The younger Rastrelli trained in his father’s workshop, later seeking to synthesize contemporary Italian fashion with the established traditions of Muscovite Baroque. His first major project appeared in 1721 with the design of a palace for Prince Demetre Cantemir.
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In 1730, he secured the position of senior court architect. His professional trajectory flourished under Empresses Anna and Elizabeth. While he began formal service to Empress Elizabeth in 1744, he remained the primary architect for the court throughout her reign. Between 1744 and 1760, he completed several of his most significant commissions, including the stone Winter Palace, which now serves as the main building of the Hermitage Museum, the Stroganov Palace, and the palace at Tsarskoye Selo.
Final Projects and Shift in Taste
His final large-scale undertaking was the Smolny Convent in Saint Petersburg, intended as a long-term residence for Empress Elizabeth. The design included an ambitious bell-tower intended to be the tallest structure in Russia, though construction halted following the Empress's death in 1762. The subsequent reign of Catherine II signaled a transition in aesthetic preference, as the court moved toward Neoclassical styles. Rastrelli retired to Courland, where he oversaw the completion of ducal palaces before spending his final years in commercial ventures with art-dealers.
Fast facts
- Born: 1700, Paris
- Died: 1771, Saint Petersburg
- Citizenship: Russian Empire
- Notable work: Winter Palace
- Notable work: Smolny Convent
- Notable work: Rundāle Palace
- Notable work: Stroganov Palace
- Profession: Architect
Questions readers ask
Which major buildings in Russia did Rastrelli design?
His notable works include the Winter Palace, the Stroganov Palace, the Anichkov Palace, the Smolny Convent, and the palace at Tsarskoye Selo.
Why did Rastrelli leave Saint Petersburg at the end of his life?
Empress Catherine II dismissed his Baroque style as old-fashioned, leading him to retire to Courland to work on ducal palaces.
Achievements
- Notable work: Rundāle Palace
- Notable work: Saint Andrew's Church
- Notable work: Anichkov Palace
- Notable work: Vorontsov Palace
- Affiliated with Imperial Academy of Arts
- Worked as architect
